Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Jennifer Estep’s Tear Down The Throne,  which releases on May 3rd 2022!

Crown princess. Clever spy. Powerful mind magier. Gemma Ripley of Andvari is all those things–and determined to stop an enemy from using magical tearstone weapons to conquer her kingdom.

Gemma’s quest for answers leads her to a trade Summit between the various kingdoms. Among the other royals in attendance is Queen Maeven Morricone of Morta and her son, Prince Leonidas–Gemma’s charming and dangerous nemesis.

Gemma knows that Maeven always has a long game in motion, and sure enough, the cunning queen invokes an arcane tradition that threatens the fragile truce between Andvari and the other kingdoms. Despite her best intentions, Gemma once again finds herself thrown together with Leo and battling her growing feelings for the enemy prince.

When a series of deadly attacks shatters the Summit’s peaceful negotiations, Gemma realizes that someone wants to tear the royals down from their thrones–and that this enemy just might succeed.

“Gemma!” Reiko yelled. “Behind you!”

I whirled around. Several guards sprawled on the ground around Reiko. Some had died from the stab wounds she’d inflicted on them, while others were choking on their own blood and clutching their throats, which she’d torn open with her talons.

But one man had slipped past Reiko and was charging at me. He must have been a mutt with some speed magic because he closed the distance between us in the blink of an eye. I ducked his deadly swing and grabbed my dagger.

The man growled and charged at me again, but I stepped up, dodged his defenses, and buried my dagger in his stomach. He screamed, and I ripped the blade free, tearing out a good portion of his guts.

I started to shove him away, but he put his shoulder down and barreled into me. The attack took me by surprise, my feet flew out from under me, and I landed flat on my back, my head bouncing off the ground. Pain spiked through my skull, and I accidentally bit down on my own tongue, hard enough to draw blood.

“Gemma!” Reiko screamed again. “Get up!”

Another guard rushed at her, and she lashed out with her sword, driving him back.

I planted my hands on the ground and sat up. The guard that I’d gutted was looming over me, his face twisting with pain and anger.

My head was throbbing from my hard fall, and I couldn’t get a grip on my magic, so I dug my heels into the dirt, trying to scuttle backward. But I was moving too slowly, and he still had too much speed, despite his gruesome injury. The guard lurched forward, raised his sword high, and swung it down. I lifted my hand and grabbed onto the string of energy attached to his blade—

The sword stopped inches from my heart.

He growled and surged forward, trying to shove his sword past the invisible barrier of my magic, but I gritted my teeth, clenched my hand into a fist, and tightened my grip on his weapon. Pain pounded through my body, sweat dripped down my face, and blood filled my mouth, but I held on, my arm shaking from the effort.

“Give me that!” I heard Wexel yell.

Up on the ridge, the captain wrested a crossbow away from one of the injured archers. And that was all I saw before the man in front of me churned his feet again, still trying to force his way past my magic.

The guard must have had some strength power to go along with his speed because his sword lunged another inch closer to my heart.

Then another inch. Then another inch.

I snarled with anger and frustration, but try as I might, I couldn’t hold him back, and it was only a matter of seconds be- fore he punched his blade into my chest and killed me—

The guard flew across the clearing and slammed into the base of the ridge. Rocks tumbled to the ground, and so did the man, his spine snapped like a toothpick and his legs no longer lined up with the rest of his body.

My eyes widened in surprise. I hadn’t done that. A shadow fell over me, blotting out the sun, and my head snapped up.

A man was standing on top of the ridge to my right.

He looked to be a year or two older than me, thirty or so. His longish black hair was as shiny as polished onyx, the wavy layers ending in tips that reminded me of the sharp points on a strix’s feathers. His skin was tan, and he had a straight nose and sharp, angular cheekbones, along with those dark amethyst eyes that had haunted my dreams for weeks, months, years.

His black cloak fluttered around his tall, muscled body, pushed back and forth by the chilly breeze, and snapped around his legs like a coral viper lashing out at its prey. He was wearing a long black riding coat over a black tunic, leggings, and boots, and a tearstone sword and dagger dangled from his black leather belt. Silver buttons marched down the front of his coat, and the Morricone royal crest—that fancy cursive M surrounded by a ring of strix feathers—was done in silver thread over his heart, if he even had such a weak, treacherous organ.

As for my own heart, well, it quickened at the sight of him, betraying me yet again—just like he had.

Prince Leonidas Luther Andor Morricone, my childhood nemesis and mortal enemy.

From TEAR DOWN THE THRONE by Jennifer Estep. Copyright © 2022 by Jennifer Estep. Reprinted by permission of Harper Voyager, an imprint of William Morrow/HarperCollins Publishers.

The post Read An Excerpt From Jennifer Estep’s ‘Tear Down The Throne’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

As a full on disclaimer, this reader is a hardcore fan of Jennifer Estep’s books and has been for many many years, but it’s been a hot minute, and this obsession of mine, isn’t letting up. I’d apologise, but really, I’m not even a teensy bit sorry about it. There are also mild spoilers through this review, so don’t keep reading if that will make you want to not read the book because you should definitely be reading this book ASAP.

Diving right in, because I can’t contain my excitement here, Capture the Crown is the first book in a spin-off series to Estep’s Crown of Shards trilogy, this new series is titled Gargoyle Queen and I need all the details on when I can expect book two, ‘cause I’m hooked! Which, PS, was also epic AF, so if you haven’t read it yet, jump on it! But never fear, you don’t have to have read the first trilogy to understand what’s going on in Capture the Crown.

Capture the Crown over-delivers in each and every aspect of what you’d expect from a novel written by Estep. Romance and intrigue, layered and detailed worldbuilding, both relatable and swoonworthy characters, a whole lot of edge-of-your-seat action, and perfectly timed quick-witted banter sprinkled in there to ease the readers tense shoulders at just the right time. And for those of you who are new to Estep’s writing, any fan of fantasy novels in general will adore this book. But, be warned, this book is by no means just another fantasy novel that’s interchangeable with a shelf full of others and you can trust me on this one because my home library is full of fantasy novels of every kind. But I can wax poetic about my books later… moving on to the good stuff…

Oh. My. Giddy. Gargoyle.

I mean first off… the main character Gemma Ripley has a gargoyle named Grimley…who is so adorable I literally had to put down the book at one point and go find one of my fur-babies to give all the want to squish your face, give me kisses, and loves and cuddles because I was in danger of doing it to my book. And don’t even get me started on the personality Estep has written for not only Grimley, but for other creature companions in the novel. Their antics kept me chuckling throughout the entire book.

Second, I want to be her when I grow up. Gemma’s a girl who knows how to run a long con—a girl after my own con-woman trope loving heart—and enjoys the fact that no one knows that she’s actually got the upper hand. And I’m not gonna lie, I love how she didn’t feel an ounce of guilt about having to fool those around her. She’s a woman on a mission, and isn’t apologising for doing what she’s got to do to keep her family and her kingdom safe.

Third, she’s flawed. And not just in a “we threw this in there to give her an edge” kinda way, but in a well-thought-out and realistic way. Without going into details, I will say Gemma has some trauma from her past that gives her some anxiety and Estep didn’t shy from letting the reader experience this with Gemma on the page. I not only found this relatable, as someone who suffers from anxiety, but I felt it really rounded out Gemma’s character. This new willingness to include characters that actually struggle with anxiety within the fantasy genre, let alone the fantasy romance (#Romantacy) genre, is refreshing to see not only included for a main character, but done well, and not just glazed over.

True to the synopsis, Gemma is a spy…and a damned good one because pretty much everyone is fooled by her spoiled princess of Andvari persona. She’s my favourite type of heroine in a fantasy romance novel, witty, resourceful, fierce, and unwavering in her determination to find out just who is stealing the tearstone from the royal mines and threatening her loved ones.

So not only do we have a badass, yet charmingly flawed, undercover princess spy, who’s on her own behind enemy lines… We’ve got a devilishly handsome hero who just happens to be Gemma’s sworn mortal enemy, Prince Leonidas Morricone of Morta. And let me just warn you now, Prince Leo is going to give every fantasy-book-boyfriend-having reader out there, all the feels.

Leo is a very well written anti-hero who kept me guessing as he wasn’t always honest or honourable, but that veiled secrecy about his character really caught my attention. His family is very different from Gemma’s, like night and day. His family is more cutthroat, try to kill you in your sleep, cruel, where Gemma’s is supportive and caring. Despite his upbringing and serious trust issues, it’s clear that Leo does protect those he cares about. I’m dying to know more about how he’ll develop through the series because his family’s manipulation is straight up something out of the toxic relationship handbook, if there ever was one. But moving past the heart-racing twists and turns, as well as all the action packed into this book…

Holy hotness on a stick!

The sparks between these two fly off the pages! And by sparks I mean, keep a bucket of water nearby just in case you need to dump it on yourself, or your reading device, because you might combust, sparks. Queen of the slowburn, Estep keeps the line of tension between these two pulled as taut as a tightrope as they struggle to trust each other and let go of past misconceptions they’ve clung to for years. It’s clearly not going to be an easy road for them, as the obstacles set in their path just from this book, but I’m 100% rooting for #TeamLeoGem #TeamGeLo? Any better hashtag suggestions fellow shippers? If so, let me know so I can stop cringing at my inability to come up with one!

Capture the Crown is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up Capture the Crown? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Bestselling author Jennifer Estep returns to her Crown of Shards world with an all-new trilogy and a bold new heroine who protects her kingdom from magic, murder, and mayhem by moonlighting as a spy. 

Gemma Ripley has a reputation for being a pampered princess who is more interested in pretty gowns, sparkling jewelry, and other frivolous things than learning how to rule the kingdom of Andvari. But her carefully crafted persona is just an act to hide the fact that Gemma is a powerful mind magier—and a spy.

Gemma is undercover, trying to figure out who is stealing large amounts of tearstone from one of the Ripley royal mines when she encounters Prince Leonidas Morricone of Morta—her mortal enemy. Gemma tries to steer clear of the handsome prince, but when she finds herself behind enemy lines, she reluctantly joins forces with Leo. Also coming to Gemma’s aid is Grimley, her beloved gargoyle.

Despite the fact that Andvari and Morta are old, bitter enemies, a dangerous attraction sparks between Gemma and Leo. Further complicating matters is Leo’s murderous family, especially Queen Maeven Morricone, the mastermind behind the infamous Seven Spire massacre.

The closer Gemma gets to the stolen tearstone, the more deadly plots she uncovers. Everyone is trying to capture the crown, but only one queen can sit on the throne…

The post Review: Capture The Crown by Jennifer Estep appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
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Mulan meets The Song of Achilles in Shelley Parker-Chan’s She Who Became the Sun, a bold, queer, and lyrical reimagining of the rise of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty from an amazing new voice in literary fantasy.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
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In A Psalm for the Wild-Built, Hugo Award-winner Becky Chambers’s delightful new Monk & Robot series gives us hope for the future.

Notes from the Burning Age by Claire North
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Ven was once a holy man, a keeper of ancient archives. It was his duty to interpret archaic texts, sorting useful knowledge from the heretical ideas of the Burning Age—a time of excess and climate disaster. For in Ven’s world, such material must be closely guarded so that the ills that led to that cataclysmic era can never be repeated. But when the revolutionary Brotherhood approaches Ven, pressuring him to translate stolen writings that threaten everything he once held dear, his life will be turned upside down. Torn between friendship and faith, Ven must decide how far he’s willing to go to save this new world—and how much he is willing to lose.

Capture the Crown by Jennifer Estep
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Bestselling author Jennifer Estep returns to her Crown of Shards world with an all-new trilogy and a bold new heroine who protects her kingdom from magic, murder, and mayhem by moonlighting as a spy. 

Assassin’s Orbit by John Appel
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On the eve of the planet Ileri’s historic vote to join the Commonwealth, the assassination of a government minister threatens to shatter everything. Private investigator Noo Okereke and spy Meiko Ogawa join forces with police chief Toiwa to investigate – and discover clues that point disturbingly toward a threat humanity thought they had escaped. A threat that could destroy Ileri and spark an interplanetary war… unless the disparate team can work together to solve the mystery.

The Freedom Race by Lucinda Roy
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The Freedom Race, Lucinda Roy’s explosive first foray into speculative fiction, is a poignant blend of subjugation, resistance, and hope.

Sidewinders by Robert V.S. Redick
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Two brothers flee an army of fanatics across a vast and magical desert in this white-knuckle sequel to Master Assassins from Robert V.S. Redick, author of The Red Wolf Conspiracy.

The Empire’s Ruin by Brian Staveley
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Brian Staveley, author of The Emperor’s Blades, gives readers the first book in a new epic fantasy trilogy based in the world of his popular series the Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, The Empire’s Ruin.

Breeder by Honni van Rijswijk
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Will Meadows is a seemingly average fifteen-year-old Westie, who lives and works in Zone F, the run-down outermost ring of the Corporation. In the future state of the Corp, a person’s value comes down to productivity: the right actions win units, the wrong ones lose them. If Will is unlucky and goes into unit debt, there’s only one place to go: the Rator. But for Zone F Breeders, things are much worse–they’re born into debt and can only accrue units through reproduction.

The Past Is Red by Catherynne M. Valente
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Catherynne M. Valente, the bestselling and award-winning creator of Space Opera and The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland returns with The Past is Red, the enchanting, dark, funny, angry story of a girl who made two terrible mistakes: she told the truth and she dared to love the world.

Savage Bounty by Matt Wallace
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The sequel to the acclaimed, spellbinding epic fantasy Savage Legion by Hugo Award–winning author Matt Wallace about a utopian city with a dark secret…and the underdogs who will expose it—or die trying.

A Desert Torn Asunder by Bradley P. Beaulieu
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The final book in The Song of the Shattered Sands series closes the epic fantasy saga in a desert setting, filled with rich worldbuilding and pulse-pounding action.

What July fantasy and sci-fi releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post July 2021 Fantasy & Sci-Fi Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

In fantasy is more your speed, Destiny Soria will delight with Beneath The Citadel, you’ll find a combination of mafia and magic in The Brilliant Death, or perhaps a new tale of Ichabod Crane and Sleepy Hollow will intrigue you with The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel.

Read on to discover our favourites and tell us in the comments below which one you are most excited for!

Red Moon by Kim Stanley Robinson
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American Fred Fredericks is making his first trip, his purpose to install a communications system for China’s Lunar Science Foundation. But hours after his arrival he witnesses a murder and is forced into hiding. It is also the first visit for celebrity travel reporter Ta Shu. He has contacts and influence, but he too will find that the moon can be a perilous place for any traveler. Finally, there is Chan Qi. She is the daughter of the Minister of Finance, and without doubt a person of interest to those in power. She is on the moon for reasons of her own, but when she attempts to return to China, in secret, the events that unfold will change everything – on the moon, and on Earth.

Beneath The Citadel by Destiny Soria
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In the city of Eldra, people are ruled by ancient prophecies. After the last infallible prophecy came to pass, growing unrest led to murders and an eventual rebellion that raged for more than a decade. In the present day, Cassa, the orphaned daughter of rebels, is determined to fight back against the high council, which governs Eldra from behind the walls of the citadel. Her only allies are no-nonsense Alys, easygoing Evander, and perpetually underestimated Newt, and Cassa struggles to come to terms with the legacy of rebellion her dead parents have left her — and the fear that she may be inadequate to shoulder the burden. But by the time Cassa and her friends uncover the mystery of the final infallible prophecy, it may be too late to save the city — or themselves.

Damsel by Elana K. Arnold
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The rite has existed for as long as anyone can remember: when the prince-who-will-be-king comes of age, he must slay a fierce dragon, and rescue a damsel to be his bride. When Ama wakes in the arms of Prince Emory, however, she knows none of this. She has no memory of what came before she was captured and knows only this handsome prince. Ama comes with Emory back to the kingdom of Harding, however, as soon as her first night falls, she begins to realise that not all is as it seems, that there is more to the legends of the dragons and the damsels than anyone knows.

Street Freaks by Terry Brooks
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“Go into the Red Zone. Go to Street Freaks.” his father directs Ashton Collins before the vid feed goes suddenly silent. The Red Zone is the dangerous heart of the mega-city of Los Angeles; it is a world Ash is forbidden from and one he knows little about. But if he can find Street Freaks, the strangest of aid awaits—human and barely human alike. As Ash is hunted, he must unravel the mystery left behind by his father and discover his role in this new world.

In The Night Wood by Dale Bailey
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American Charles Hayden came to England to forget the past. Failed father, failed husband, and failed scholar, Charles hopes to put his life back together with a biography of Caedmon Hollow, the long-dead author of a legendary Victorian children’s book, In the Night Wood. But soon after settling into Hollow’s remote Yorkshire home, Charles learns that the past isn’t dead. In the primeval forest surrounding Caedmon Hollow’s ancestral home, an ancient power is stirring. The horned figure of a long-forgotten king haunts Charles Hayden’s dreams. And every morning the fringe of darkling trees presses closer.

Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa
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One thousand years ago, the great Kami Dragon was summoned to grant a single terrible wish. Now, for whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, a new wish will be granted. Raised by monks in the isolated Silent Winds temple, Yumeko has trained all her life to hide her yokai nature. Half kitsune, half human, her skill with illusion is matched only by her penchant for mischief. Until the day her home is burned to the ground, her adoptive family is brutally slain and she is forced to flee for her life with the temple’s greatest treasure—one part of the ancient scroll.

Priest of Bones by Peter McLean
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The war is over, and army priest Tomas Piety finally heads home with Lieutenant Bloody Anne at his side. When he arrives in the Stink, Tomas finds that his empire of crime has been stolen from him while at war. With his gang of Pious Men, Tomas will do whatever it takes to reclaim his businesses. But when he finds himself dragged into a web of political intrigue once again, and is forced to work in secret for the sinister Queen’s Men, everything gets more complicated.

An Easy Death by Charlaine Harris
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Set in a fractured United States, in the southwestern country now known as Texoma, this is a world where magic is acknowledged but mistrusted. Battered by a run across the border to Mexico, gunslinger Lizbeth Rose takes a job offer from a pair of Russian wizards. The Dark Tower meets True Blood in this gritty and wildly entertaining tale of Gunnie Rose. A woman fighting unimaginable odds to keep her people alive after the disintegration of America, this is a surefire hit for fans of The Walking Dead or Westworld.

Light Years by Kass Morgan
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Reeling from the latest attack by a mysterious enemy, the Quatra Fleet Academy is finally admitting students from every planet in the solar system after centuries of exclusivity. Hotshot pilot Vesper, an ambitious Tridian citizen, dreams of becoming a captain – but when she loses her spot to a brilliant, wisecracking boy from the wrong side of the asteroid belt, it makes her question everything she thought she knew. Growing up on the toxic planet Deva, Cormak will take any chance he can get to escape his dead-end life and join the Academy – even if he has to steal someone’s identity to do it.

A Conspiracy of Truths by Alexandra Rowland
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In a bleak, far-northern land, a wandering storyteller is arrested on charges of witchcraft. Though Chant protests his innocence, he is condemned not only as a witch, but a spy. His only chance to save himself rests with the skills he has honed for decades – tell a good story, catch and hold their attention, or die. But the attention he catches is that of the five elected rulers of the country, and Chant finds himself caught in a tangled, corrupt political game which began long before he ever arrived here. As he’s snatched from one Queen’s grasp to another’s, he realizes that he could either be a pawn for one of them… or a player in his own right.

Finding Baba Yaga: A Short Novel In Verse by Jane Yolen
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A harsh, controlling father. A quiescent mother. A house that feels like anything but a home. Natasha gathers the strength to leave, and comes upon a little house in the wood: A house that walks about on chicken feet and is inhabited by a fairy tale witch. In finding Baba Yaga, Natasha finds her voice, her power, herself….

The Rule of One by Ashley Saunders and Leslie Saunders
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In the near-future United States, a one-child policy is ruthlessly enforced. Everyone follows the Rule of One. But Ava Goodwin, daughter of the head of the Texas Family Planning Division, has a secret—one her mother died to keep and her father has helped to hide for her entire life. She has an identical twin sister, Mira. For eighteen years Ava and Mira have lived as one, trading places day after day, maintaining an interchangeable existence down to the most telling detail. But when their charade is exposed, their worst nightmare begins. Now they must leave behind the father they love and fight for their lives.

Kill The Queen by Jennifer Estep
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Gladiator meets Game of Thrones: a royal woman becomes a skilled warrior to destroy her murderous cousin, avenge her family, and save her kingdom in this first entry in a dazzling fantasy epic from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Elemental Assassin series—an enthralling tale that combines magic, murder, intrigue, adventure, and a hint of romance.

The Brilliant Death by Amy Rose Capetta
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For Teodora DiSangro, a mafia don’s daughter, family is fate. All her life, Teodora has hidden the fact that she secretly turns her family’s enemies into decorative objects. After all, everyone in Vinalia knows that stregas—wielders of magic—are figures out of fairytales. Then the Capo, the land’s new ruler, sends poisoned letters to the heads of the Five Families that have long controlled Vinalia. Enter Cielo, a strega who can switch back and forth between male and female as effortlessly as turning a page in a book. Teo and Cielo journey together to the capital, and Teo struggles to master her powers and to keep her growing feelings for Cielo locked in her heart.

Thin Air by Richard K. Morgan
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On a Mars where ruthless corporate interests violently collide with a homegrown independence movement as Earth-based overlords battle for profits and power, Hakan Veil is an ex–professional enforcer equipped with military-grade body tech that’s made him a human killing machine. But he’s had enough of the turbulent red planet, and all he wants is a ticket back home—which is just what he’s offered by the Earth Oversight organization, in exchange for being the bodyguard for an EO investigator. It’s a beyond-easy gig for a heavy hitter like Veil . . . until it isn’t.

The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel: A Story of Sleepy Hollow by Alyssa Palombo
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When Ichabod Crane arrives in the spooky little village of Sleepy Hollow as the new schoolmaster, Katrina Van Tassel is instantly drawn to him. When romance gives way to passion, Ichabod and Katrina embark on a secret love affair – all while praying they do not catch sight of Sleepy Hollow’s legendary Headless Horseman. That is, until All Hallows’s Eve, when Ichabod suddenly disappears, leaving Katrina alone and in a perilous position. Enlisting the help of her friend – and rumored witch – Charlotte Jansen, Katrina seeks the truth of Ichabod Crane’s disappearance, investigating the forest around Sleepy Hollow using unconventional – often magical – means.

Check out what else is coming out this month on our Goodreads list!

What book are you most excited for? Tell us in the comments below!

The post October Book Releases: Fantasy + Sci-Fi appeared first on The Nerd Daily.